Block kriging and GIS methods in geostatistical modeling of methane gas content in coal mines

Henryk Badura
Silesian University of Technology In Gliwice
Faculty of Mining and Geology
Poland

Jarosław Zawadzki
Warsaw University of Technology
Faculty of Environmental Engineering
Poland

Piotr Fabijańczyk
Warsaw University of Technology
Faculty of Environmental Engineering
Poland

Abstract

This paper presents the possibilities of using GIS techniques in determining average methane content of coal longwall with regard to spatial aspects of investigated phenomenon. This takes into account spatial location of the performed measurement and use of geostatistical methods to estimate the value of the coal bed methane with regard to estimation error. Spatial distributions of coal bed methane estimated by block kriging allowed to determine interval estimation of coal bed methane in the longwall. Estimation errors have been determined on the basis of the kriging variance, which takes into account both the total impact of errors arising from the specific distribution of measurement points and measurement errors.
The SGeMS (Stanford Geostatistical Modeling Software) software was used developed at the Stanford University. This software makes it possible to perform geostatistical calculations also in 3D space, which is important in the study of phenomena related to mining, because of the importance of all three coordinates of the Cartesian system.
In addition, the use of information about methane measurements, together with full information on their position (3D) allows the study of spatial variation in 3D and the subsequent use of that information in modeling. This methodology allows exploiting full spatial information as compared to two-dimensional situations.

Keywords:

GIS; geostatistical methods; Coal Bed Methane content; block kriging; methane threat in mines; coal mining

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References

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